Thank you for reading!

Please log in, sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.

Thank you for reading 10 free articles on our site. You can come back at the end of your 30-day period for another 10 free articles, or you can purchase a subscription and continue to enjoy valuable local news and information. If you need help, please contact our office at (828) 652-3313.

Sunday, Tuesday-Friday Print + All Access

Best Value

Get home delivery of the newspaper Sunday and Tuesday-Friday. Plus digital access, which includes unlimited use of McDowellNews.com on web and mobile web and our electronic replica edition every day for one low monthly fee. All prices listed are subject to North Carolina sales tax.

New Subscribers

Sunday Only Print + All Access

Get home delivery of the newspaper on Sunday. Plus digital access, which includes unlimited use of McDowellNews.com on web and mobile web and our electronic replica edition every day for one low monthly fee. All prices listed are subject to North Carolina sales tax. Only $10.28 after a three-month introductory period.

New Subscribers

Existing Subscribers

Digital Only All Access

Plus digital access, which includes unlimited use of McDowellNews.com on web and mobile web and our electronic replica edition every day for one low monthly fee. All prices listed are subject to North Carolina sales tax. Only $6.95 per month after three-month introductory period.

Let's Confirm You're In Our Delivery Area

* Three month introductory offer is only for subscribers who are not currently subscribing to any other special offer. After three months, each All Access plan will be $10.28 a month regardless of which print delivery is chosen. After three months, the digital only All Access plan will be $12.00 per month.

* Three month introductory offer is only for subscribers who are not currently subscribing to any other special offer. After three months, each All Access plan will be $10.28 a month regardless of which print delivery is chosen. After three months, the digital only All Access plan will be $12.00 per month.

Let's Confirm You're In Our Delivery Area

Sorry, this zipcode is not in our deliverable area for this subscription service.

McDowell GOP to fill vacancy on elections board

David Patneaude’s decision to run for the McDowell County Board of Education now leaves a vacancy on the Board of Elections.

Patneaude resigned as a member of the county Board of Elections on Monday, the same day he filed as a candidate for the county Board of Education. A Republican, he was also the election board’s chairman.

As a result, the McDowell County Republican Party will need to select a new person to replace him on the Board of Elections. And this appointment has to be done pretty soon, said Haskell Davis, chairman of the local GOP.

“There’s a whole lot that’s going to go between now and the primary,” said Davis, who is a former county commissioner.

Davis said to The McDowell News he does not have a person lined up yet to replace Patneaude on the Board of Elections. But he said he would speak to a potential replacement Tuesday.

Davis said he was informed by Patneaude on Monday of his decision to run for the Board of Education and step down from the Board of Elections.

“It was a surprise to me,” said Davis. “I didn’t know he wanted to run for the School Board.”

Davis will then hold a meeting with the local Republican Party’s Executive Committee on making the final selection.

The county Board of Elections consists of three members. The other Republican on the board is Tom Cline. He was selected by the local party to replace the late Rex Wood. Dean Buff is the Democratic member and is also the secretary.

Davis said the local board can have two Republicans because the governor of North Carolina is a Republican. The opposite would be true if the governor was a Democrat.

In addition to picking a new member for the elections board, the local Republican Party is planning to hold its county convention on Feb. 20 at the Marion Community Building and get ready for the March 15 primary.

Usually, the primary would be held in early May.

But Gov. Pat McCrory recently signed legislation passed by the N.C. General Assembly that moves everything up a lot sooner. This legislation moves the primary in North Carolina to March 15, instead of May.

This change is intended to make sure North Carolina voters will have a greater influence in choosing the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, according to published reports.

“It puts a strain on trying to get everything done quickly,” said Davis.